Live in the Present
A couple of days ago, I was on my elliptical and scanning the TV channels for something that would hold my attention. I happened to see a movie about a gymnast and his search to become the world's best. Although the acting left something to be desired, I'm always drawn to stories about ‘overcoming'. Also, the story line seemed familiar. As it turned out, it was a movie adaptation of a book I had read years ago called the ‘Warrior Athlete' by Dan Millman. Dan has always been an interesting read since he blends his story of becoming a top notch athlete with wise counsel about overcoming one's personal barriers. Essentially, this movie was about Dan's mentor teaching him how to live in the moment, not to look at past failures and not to worry about winning the gold medal – simply, learning to live and learn right now, in the present.
I believe most of us spend a lot of time lamenting about perceived failures in the past and worrying about what we might, or might not, accomplish in the future. We lose everything that is occurring right now. Worse, we aren't content at this very moment because of that unsettling situation from last week or the upcoming meeting at work next week. (Or things of this sort).
This ties in to our eating and exercise. We dwell on past failures. We dwell on this morning's or last evening's lousy choices of food. We dwell too much on whether or not we will ever be a certain size. We spend time dwelling on things like: "I should have gone to the gym yesterday” or, "Can I ever achieve those goals I set for myself?”
Learn to live right now. Don't dwell one second on yesterday, it's gone. Don't dwell on next week, since it hasn't even happened. What can you do right now that can help you be content? If you're hungry, can you make a healthy choice of a yogurt and nuts, rather than a muffin? Can you go for a walk rather than sit and watch a TV program that isn't going to enhance your sense of well being anyway?
Happiness truly is about the journey and not the destination. Going to bed at night knowing that you tried hard to eat well and you got an exercise session in is very gratifying. No you may not yet be a pro tri-athlete or a run-way model, but you have done the very best that you could do in the circumstances in which you live.
In the movie, there was one nice statement where the ‘philosopher' tells Dan that "you will never be better than anybody, but you will also never be less than anybody else”. We each live our own lives. To truly enjoy them, don't condemn yourself, criticise yourself or compare yourself to anyone. This is your life to live as best as you can be.
Enjoy the moment. Enjoy the journey. Be happy with each and every baby step you take to eating healthy and exercising regularly.
Live in the moment. (Mark Twain said it best. "I have been through some terrible things in my life, some of which actually happened”. )
You can do it. Just don't ever give up. Have a wonderful Canada Day weekend!
Dr. Doug